This red velvet trifle is everything I want in a dessert: moist red velvet sponge cake, lots of whipped cream cheese frosting, and plenty of sweet sliced strawberries.
Moist red velvet sponge cake, fresh strawberries, and whipped cream cheese make this red velvet trifle a perfect celebratory dessert.
I’ve been obsessed with trifles, and I’ve made this one so many times that I’m almost losing count. My husband is a huge red velvet and strawberry fan, so I created this for his birthday. I tested it a few times before that for various get-togethers, and it’s been a hit with everyone I’ve served it to. Layers of moist red velvet sponge cake, rich and tangy whipped cream cheese, and sweet, sliced strawberries. Does it get any better? I don’t think so.
Honestly, the red velvet sponge cake is so good on its own, I could just sit and eat that by itself!
How to make this red velvet trifle
What you need
- Red velvet sponge cake: You’ll use eggs, flour, granulated sugar, buttermilk, distilled white vinegar, vanilla extract, Dutch process cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and red food coloring.
- Macerated strawberries: You’ll need two pounds of strawberries and one tablespoon of granulated sugar.
- Whipped cream cheese: You’ll need cream cheese, heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.
How to make it
- Step 1: Make the sponge cakes. Beat egg yolks until fluffy and then add granulated sugar slowly. Add buttermilk, vinegar, food coloring, and vanilla extract. Then, sift in flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until medium-stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the batter. Divide between lightly greased cake pans and bake for 30 minutes at 325ºF.
- Step 2: Cool the sponge cakes. Remove the pans from the oven and transfer them to wire racks. I let them cool right in the pan for about an hour. From there, you can use a thin spatula to shimmy them out of the pan. Wrap them in plastic wrap to make the trifle later or proceed with the recipe as-is!
- Step 3: Macerate the strawberries. Thinly slice the strawberries lengthwise and toss with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Refrigerate until needed.
- Step 4: Make the whipped cream cheese. Beat cream cheese with vanilla extract, then mix with heavy cream until smooth. Add sifted powdered sugar and continue beating until smooth and thickened. The heavy cream will add volume to the cream cheese.
- Step 5: Layer the trifle! Cut the sponge cakes into cubes. Start with a layer of cubed cake, a layer of cream cheese, a layer of strawberries, then a layer of cake, a layer of strawberries, and a layer of cream cheese. I love drizzling some of the strawberry syrup over the sponge cake to keep it moist, too. You can layer it really in any order you like; I just prefer to start with cake and end with cream cheese! I like to decorate the top with a few sliced strawberries, but red sprinkles would be fun too!
- Step 6: Refrigerate. Refrigerate the trifle for at least one hour or overnight.
You’re ready to serve! Grab your big spoon and dig in!
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
- 3 to 4 drops red food coloring (can add more for a deeper red color)
- 1 cup cake flour
- ⅓ cup Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Macerated strawberries:
- 2 pounds strawberries (stemmed and sliced lengthwise; a few slices reserved for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (plus more if needed)
Whipped cream cheese:
- 8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
Instructions
Make the sponge cakes:
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Grease the bottoms of two 9-inch cake pans or line the bottoms of the cake pans with parchment paper. Leave the sides of the cake pans ungreased.
Beat the egg yolks:
- Add the egg yolks to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until pale and thick; they will increase in volume. This takes about 5 minutes of consistent mixing.
- Add 1 cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the ½ cup buttermilk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar, and 3 to 4 drops red food coloring and mix until incorporated.
- Sift 1 cup flour, ⅓ cup cocoa powder, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt into the egg yolks.
Prepare the egg whites:
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until medium-stiff peaks form.
Finish the batter:
- Fold the egg whites into the batter and stir gently until combined.
Bake the sponge cakes:
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans. Transfer to the oven for 30 minutes or until the sponge cake is firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool the sponge cakes:
- Remove the sponge cakes from the oven and place the cake pans on a wire rack. Let cool for 1 hour. Use a butter knife or a thin spatula to run around the sides and bottom of the pan to separate the cake from the pan. Flip the pan over onto the wire rack and lightly tap the bottom of the pan to release the cake if needed. You’re going to be cutting it up into bite-sized pieces, so don’t fret if it doesn’t come out perfectly!
- Once cool, you can wrap them in plastic wrap until you’re ready to begin the trifle.
Macerate the strawberries:
- Add the sliced strawberries to a large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Refrigerate until needed.
Make the whipped cream cheese:
- Add the cream cheese and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to a large bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until smooth. Add 1 cup heavy cream and continue mixing until just combined. Add 1 cup sifted powdered sugar and mix on medium-high speed continuously for 3 to 5 minutes until completely smooth and thick.
Assemble the trifle:
- Cut both sponge cakes into bite-sized cubes. Add half the cubes to the bottom of a trifle dish and press down with your hands to lightly compress the layer of cake cubes. Add half the whipped cream cheese on top and smooth it out with a rubber spatula. Arrange half the strawberries on top of the cream cheese. Arrange the rest of the sponge cake cubes on top of the cream cheese. Add the remaining strawberries on top. Finish with the rest of the whipped cream cheese and smooth it into an even layer with a rubber spatula.
- Finish the trifle with a few strawberry slices on top, if desired. Refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight before serving.
To serve:
- Spoon the trifle into dessert bowls and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 406kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 19g | Sodium: 297mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin C: 53mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @triedandtruerecipes or tag #triedandtruerecipes so I can feature you in my feed!
